JUNE DAILY DEVOTIONS
DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE
Below are daily devotions for each day of the month. They include a quote from a famous individual with my personal comment and a scripture passage with my personal comment. I hope you find these quotations, scripture passages and my personal comments helpful in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
June 1
”Most of us know perfectly well what we ought to do; our trouble is that we do not want to do it.”
Peter Marshall
This applies especially to us as Christians at times. May we be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
Proverbs 18:8
It goes without saying that the inaccurate and selfish comments of a gossip will not only go to a person’s innermost parts, they will rot there as well and pollute the whole body.
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
June 2
“Feed your faith and starve your doubt.”
Author Unknown
It is true that the more faith we have in God the more our doubts and fears will die a quick death. May we seek more faith, strive to be more faithful and pray that God grants us the gift of additional faith.
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.”
Proverbs 1:10
We are called as Christians to be salt and light in the world and this requires us to have friends that often do not believe in God or worse yet, are in rebellion of Him. In our ministry, service and witness to those that do not believe we must be careful we do not let our witness be compromised. Let us be cautious that we are not enticed by those people we are trying to win to Christ.
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
June 3
“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”
Mother Teresa
Its amazing what a smile can do. It is a greeting, an encouragement, an offering of friendship. It makes friends of people who have never met. It defuses confrontations. It is a peace offering. It is a ministry. Lets smile more!
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“Your hands made me and formed me.”
Psalms 119:73
We speak of the 6 days of creation, but God’s creative act continues today. Have you ever thought about the fact that within creation God continues to create. He created the biological forces and processes that continue to reproduce and form life. Yes He created the entire universe and all living things in 6 days, but His handiwork forms the structure and spark of life that reproduces itself. What an amazing God!
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
June 4
“Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.”
John Wooden
This reminds me so much of Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. This is what Christ did and it is what we are called to do. May we do this not because we are commanded to, but because we are so like Christ that it comes naturally to do so.
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Romans 8:18
Sometimes, especially when you are suffering it is hard to understand and comprehend this truth, but there will come a day when we will “know as we are known” and will experience and understand this truth. Meanwhile we must trust in God and have faith that He will provide strength and courage to endure whatever we face in life.
Michael K. Farrar. O.D.
June 5
“We are drifting toward a religion which consciously or unconsciously has its eye on humanity rather than on deity.”
Alistair Begg
Subtle shifts in attitude and behavior can happy so gradually that we are unaware of drifting down the path of false doctrine. May we stay in the Word, be willing to keep ourselves accountable to mature Christians and pray for discernment given us by the Holy Spirit. Stay on the righteous path – the King’s Highway.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Mark 9:35
We all have a built in urge to be first and get all the attention, but this is the flesh. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our mindset changes and we want others to be first and get the attention. Can you imagine how much better the world would be, our country, our state, our town, our church, our family if we all sought to be filled with the Holy Spirit and let others be first.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 6
“Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.”
Søren Kierkegaard
God never changes so this quote is quite true. And we do know for a fact that the more we pray and build our relationship with our Lord we are changed in a major way. Sometimes we are humbled, other times encouraged and still other times challenged. We are always changed by our prayers, so the necessity for consistent and persistent prayer.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:15
That is what is so amazing about Jesus Christ. He has gone through all sorts of temptations and trials just like us so He knows the struggles we face with these spiritual and emotional tests. But He never sinned so not only is He the perfect sacrifice for our sin, He is also our role model for overcoming temptation. He can totally relate to our situations of temptations, no matter what they may be. He gives us the strength to overcome them and our Heavenly Father will provide a way of escaping them. But God is also willing to forgive us if we stumble or fall as long as we repent honestly and humbly.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 7
“It is easier to build a boy than to mend a man.”
Author Unknown
There is much wisdom in this quotation. As parents we must seek to build up our daughters and sons into good, dependable, hardworking, responsible, godly men and women. This is a task that God has placed in our lives as mothers and fathers, or should I say this is more of a ministry? It is much easier to build up our young than to attempt to mend them later in life. Life is hard and brutal at times and if we have built them up sufficiently during their younger years, they will endure and survive the bumps and thumps of life. They will also mend easier and more quickly if they have a foundation laid down by us as parents, and this foundation is a knowledge of both God’s Word and an assurance of our love and support for them.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“A prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
1 Kings 20:13
King Ahab was given a most encouraging revelation from the Lord on this day of battle, that his army would be victorious. But this victory was not by human means alone. It was made possible because God was on his side and wished to intervene to assure victory. There are many battles we face in life and often God will give us the assurance that we will have the victory because God is on our side. He will intervene to not only protect us in the present, but establish our future of blessings. Our task is to trust in Him, His goodness, His character and His power. Many battles are lost due to lack of persistent faith and a trust that God has our best wishes in mind. Never should we forget that God is on your side.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 8
“Christ will always accept the faith the puts its trust in Him.”
Andrew Murray
The amazing thing about our compassionate Heavenly Father is that He accepts the weakest faith when it is placed in Him. We think sometimes unless we have great faith He will not hear our prayers, work in our life or give us guidance. But God always accepts whatever faith and trust we have in Him. He will never turn away the faith of a young child, a newly converted adult Christian or a long-time saint dealing with wounds and struggles of life. He is the perfect encourager and sustainer. He desires to accept us where we are, but never leaves us the way He finds us. We are always better people and Christians when we have placed our faith and trust in Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”
John 14:23-24
One of the many ways we can be assured of our salvation is if we are living an obedient life according to God’s Word. If we really love Jesus Christ as our Savior, our lifestyle and actions will show a conformity to God’s Word and the Truth it contains. This statement was made by Christ, but comes from His Heavenly Father. The fact is God the Father, Son and Spirit are all in agreement regarding the fact that a true child of God will demonstrate their love by obeying the Living Word. Let us show our love for Christ by our consistent and persistent obedience.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 9
“It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.”
Jeremy Taylor
We are often caught up in despair. It takes place when we lose a job, lose a loved one, lose a possession, or appear to have lost our faith. But if we remember the omnipotence of our God the despair we experience will fade quickly away. God’s omnipotence could be defined as having unlimited, all-powerful, universal power. Such majestic and perfect power is found in our Heavenly Father. He is Master over all of creation and any loss, struggle, hardship or trial we face is nothing compared to the power and resources of our God. The next time we are tempted to despair or find ourselves wallowing in despair, may we quickly pray to our omnipotent Heavenly Father and ask for comfort, provision, power and encouragement to grow in faith and trust in Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Psalms 100:3
This scripture is both an encouragement and a command. We may be encouraged to know that the Lord is God and we are told to know each and every moment of every day that the Lord is God. He made not only us but all of creation. We belong to Him and Him alone. We belong to His heavenly family. We are His sheep and He is our Shepherd. What a marvelous knowledge to have and to cherish, that God is our protective Shepherd and we are His. Let us rest in this truth.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 10
“Life is made up of little things. It is very rarely that an occasion is offered for doing a great deal at once. True greatness consists in being great in little things.”
Leaves of Gold
This reminds me of the verse in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Life is full of seconds and minutes and the choices we make in these small increments of time matter much more than we think. It is the small decisions we make and the tiny actions of godly behavior we practice that compile together to make holiness evident in our lives. May we be faithful in the little things of life so that when the big decisions and responsibilities come we have trained ourselves in wisdom, obedience and love.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”
Psalm 36:9
God is our fountain of life. Without Him we are like a stagnant pond or a dry creek bed. From Him pours an oil of anointing over our lives to make a pleasant fragrance that can be perceived by those around us. When we walk in His light there is no darkness and we see our paths illuminated so that we do not stumble or fall. His light rejuvenates our soul. His light exposes areas of our heart and mind that need to be transformed. His light is both a comfort for pains and sorrows as well as a conviction for truth and holiness. May we consistently and persistently walk in our God who is light.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 11
“With Christ as your Savior and constant Companion, you, although alone, need never be lonely.”
Billy Graham
It is hard for us many times to be alone. But as Christians we are never really alone. Our Heavenly Father is constantly watching over us and involved in our lives. Christ is our advocate in Heaven and constantly ministers to us. The Holy Spirit lives within us and is our constant companion. So while we may sense a physical loneliness at times because of a lack of human relationships, we have constant communion with the Father, Son and Spirit as we walk in the light of our triune God. God knows our need for human relationships and will honor that need in a multitude of ways, but we must always remember our relationship with the Lord is first and foremost of greatest importance.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”
James 3:2
We would all agree with James that none of us are perfect and fail more often than we like in how we act, talk and behave. I would hazard to guess that we would also agree with James that if we could tame our tongue and always say the right thing at the right time we would have all other aspects of their character and motivations in check. What we say with our mouth often reflects what lives within our heart, mind and soul. Let us seek to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, a softening of our heart and a dedication of our soul so that the words that pass our lips will reflect pure, holy and godly motivations centered on a life dedicated to our Heavenly Father.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 12
“To cultivate the sense of the beautiful, is one of the most effectual ways of cultivating an appreciation of the Divine goodness.”
Christian Nestell Bovee
We can see the beauty of God in nature, in people and in art. When we cultivate an appreciation and sensitivity to these creations we also come to appreciate our Creator. May we be thankful for God’s witness of Himself in the diversity of our gorgeous creation. May we look for the beauty in all people for they are created in His image. May we also see how God’s image in us allows us to create beauty in works of art, writing, sculpture, architecture and numerous other expressions of imagination and talent. As we develop a sensitivity to this beauty we come to appreciate our Heavenly Father more substantially.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
1 John 3:1
When we accept Christ as our personal Savior we become adopted into His family. We are granted all the rights of a member in His royal priesthood. We are blessed by Him with provision for our needs. We are granted the honor of worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. And we are also given the responsibility that this nobility requires, a life of obedience to His Word. With the honor of adoption comes the responsibility of godly living. Let us be about the business of living as a child of the King of kings.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 13
“He that lives in hope dances without music.”
George Herbert
It is enjoyable to dance to music. The notes, rhythm and score will stimulate you to tap your feet, dance around and raise your voice. But godly hope in the soul of a Believer can cause a person to dance just as much and with great emotion. There is something about the joy of the Lord which comes from hope, that grants peace and freedom, stimulates a lightened heart and encourages demonstrative worship of our Heavenly Father. This godly dancing from godly hope can be quiet and internal or loud and external. It is a precious gem to have in your heart, mind and soul.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachingswe passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15
This encouragement was appropriate for first century Christians and is just as valid for us today. We must stand firm against any erosion of our faith by loose morals of our society or the influence of compromise of truth. We must hold fast to the teachings of the Bible that are given to us by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. Men and women of godly integrity are needed now more than ever to stand firm in their faith and hold fast to the truth so that our future generations will follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 14
“Trees have their seasons at certain times of the year when they bring forth fruit; but a Christian is for all seasons.”
Ralph Brownrig
There are a wide variety of trees that bloom, blossom and produce fruit at certain times of year. At other times they establish roots, grow limbs and leaves and go into dormancy during harsh weather months. But the Christian is always on call. A Christian should be ready to serve, minister, pray, worship or respond to whatever the Lord wishes at any time. There is no dormant period for a Christian. Even when dealing with a trial, recovering from a hardship or simply resting in God’s blessings we are always on call as a servant of Christ. We should bear fruit as Believers constantly and in all seasons of our lives. There is no retirement for the Christian, no being put out to pasture, no vacation from the faith. Let live as Christ did on constant alert and ever ready to demonstrate love, grace, mercy and compassion.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
” The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.”
Proverbs 17:3
Crucibles are used to purify silver. Furnaces are used to melt gold and remove impurities. These processes increase the value of these precious metals because the slag and waste are removed to make them more valuable. The Lord accomplishes the same effect in our lives as He tests our heart. He loves and accepts us the way we are, but loves us too much to leave us that way. He is constantly working in our lives to perfect us and bring us to a more holy state. His Divine Word will impress upon us what we must do. The Holy Spirit will convict and motivate us to godly acts of worship and service. Our Heavenly Father will intervene in our lives to move us to obedience and test our faith so that it will grow substantially. When we feel like we are being refined in a furnace of a trial or a crucible of struggle, let us remember that we will emerge a more pure Christian individual as God works to mold us into who we were called to be.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 15
“Our words are the commentaries on our wills.”
Antony Farindon
This is a short quote, but packed with truth. The words we speak reveal much about who we are as a person, what we think about and dwell upon as well as what is at the core of our heart. Actions can speak louder than words at times, but words expose in detail, the agendas that are within us. May we have our minds transformed by God’s Word, our hearts softened and stabilized by the love of God and our souls washed and purified by the sacrifice of Christ. If these events take place on a continual basis, the commentaries of words that reveal our wills, will expose them to be godly, pure, holy and loving.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalms 121:1-2
When trial, hardship, difficulty and trauma take place in our lives often we hang our head and look to the ground. But this verse instructs us not to look down, but up. Look up to the hills, mountains and sky and view the witness in Creation that tells us that not only God exists, but that He cares greatly for us. Our help will come from the Lord if we simply look to Him for strength, comfort and perseverance. The Maker of heaven and earth has the power to deal with whatever we face and will give us the courage and endurance to cope. When we lift our eyes up to God, we gain a more positive perspective and are able to move ahead into a future of blessings and spiritual growth. Always, always, look up to the Lord no matter what!
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 16
“The greater perfection a soul aspires after, the more dependent it is upon divine grace.”
Brother Lawrence
Hopefully we are always striving to be more obedient, more faithful, more holy each and every day. As we have these aspirations and convictions we must always depend and rely upon the divine grace of God. We can do nothing in the flesh to please our Heavenly Father. Those achievements we accomplish in our inner self come at the price of our will for His will. The more we desire to be like Christ, the more we are utterly dependent upon the grace God bestows upon us. We cannot move an inch forward in spiritual maturity without the grace and power to do so that comes from God alone. May we release our heart, mind and soul to the Lord so that He can let us experience the fullness of His grace.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
‘The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
When it comes to arguments from the world, idolatrous ideas, demonic strongholds, false teaching, mischievous inclinations, pernicious lies and evil plans – atomic bombs, cruise missiles and cannons are useless. The only weapons useful against such assaults are the weapons that have been provided by the Lord. We have the Belt of God’s Truth that is the wisdom of God’s will and purpose. We have the Breastplate of Righteousness that comes from Christ’s purity and holiness. We have the Readiness of Peace that comes from our faith and confidence in our God. We have the Shield of Faith that our Heavenly Father places within us. We have the Helmet of Salvation forged in the fire of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We have the Sword of the Spirit, the Holy Word of God. We have the mighty weapon of Prayer, a precious and powerful gift granted to us by our Heavenly Father. These weapons are invincible if worn at all times and used when necessary. May we demolish satanic strongholds, demonic arguments and anything that sets itself against the Lord. Let us take every thought captive and make them obedient to our Savior Jesus Christ.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 17
“Christians don’t tell lies they just go to church and sing them”
A.W. Tozer
WOW! Do these words by A.W. Tozer hit you between the eyes? They should. He is confronting us with the possibility or probability that when we sing worship songs we pay no attention to the words we are singing. I would hope we could prove him wrong by focusing on the Lord while we sing songs in our praise and worship and make sure our heart, mind and soul are behind, beneath and inside the words we sing. Do we really mean them? Or are they simply mindlessly being verbalized? Is our heart moved by them or simply by the tones and rhythm of the music? Is our soul encouraged by them, or is it insensitive to them. Is our mind transformed by them, or is it numb to them? Let us mean what we say and sing otherwise as A.W. Tozer proposes, we are singing lies.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the King;”
Psalms 45:1
When we recite God’s Word or even the words to worship and praise songs we should be stirred and moved by the truth contained in them. God’s Word is divine and should speak deeply to our heart and soul. It should transform our mind and cause us to respond in thought and deed with obedience. The words to worship songs that are written by Christians are not divine unless they contain scripture, but they do contain inspiration from the life of a Christian motivated by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Even songs by written by men in honor and praise of God can move us to obedience and holiness, much like preaching and teaching God’s Word can.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 18
“If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power.”
Billy Sunday
Prayer is a required habit for the Christian. It brings us closer to God. It provides a means of thanking God for provision and seeking provision from Him. It humbles us and uplifts the Lord. It allows us to intercede for the needs of others. It battles against demonic powers. It is a precious, powerful and purposeful habit that must not be a stranger in the life of a Christian.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
Proverbs 23:4-5
It is necessary that we make a living and work hard to provide for ourselves and our family. But when we work so hard to gain riches, wealth and comfort that we risk our health, our spiritual growth and our peace we are stepping over a godly boundary that is set for our own protection. Riches can be here today and gone tomorrow in a second. Honest hard work is to be commended, but when it becomes a ruler over our lives it can become a hard taskmaster that begins to take the place of our Heavenly Father. Let us be good Christian workers motivated by a godly work ethic, but let us not be a slave to our work or it will take the joy out of our lives and in the end be a great disappointment.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 19
“Impatient people water their miseries and hoe up their comforts; sorrows are visitors that come without invitation, and complaining minds send a wagon to bring their troubles home in.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
What a quotation full of insight and conviction! Spurgeon is saying that when we are impatient we are watering and cultivating a trial or struggle we are attempting to endure. We are digging for our comforts and desires, rather than seeing how God can grow us through the storm we are facing. In such a sorry state all types of sorrows will visit our lives. They will not even be invited, these sorrows will show up with all sorts of baggage on the front doorstep of our heart and feed on us. When we complain and pout we, in essence, are sending out wheelbarrows, wagons and dump trucks to bring troubles and heartaches home to live in our heart. May we petition the Lord in prayer and set our minds to the task of being patient people, having the joy of the Lord when we face various trials, seeing hope that is yet to come in the promises of God and never complaining about what our Heavenly Father has allowed to come into our lives. Let us rest in the power of God, His providence for our life and understand that nothing has occurred that has not filtered through His loving compassionate hands.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.”
3 John 1:11
It appears that often Christians imitate the world. We have wear clothes often reflective of world. We sing songs sometimes full of the philosophy of the world. We engage in recreational activities that originate from worldly interests. We need to evaluate more often the things we imitate and consider what are our motivations for behaving in such a manner. Are we seeking to be godly or worldly? Are we desiring to imitate evil or the good of our Heavenly Father? Let us not dilute our witness, alter our commitment to God nor taint our soul with actions of copying the behaviors and actions of the world. Let us seek godliness and holiness and find true lasting joy as we bring glory and honor to our Lord and King Jesus Christ.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 20
“Persons manifestly go through more pain and self-denial to gratify a vicious passion than would have been necessary to the conquest of it.”
Bishop Joseph Butler
Bishop Butler is telling us here that people will spend large amounts of pain and effort to fulfill a sinful passion. They will invest much thought and time ignoring the fact that it is bad for them to pursue such bad pursuits. They will apply much time denying conviction of their conscience and possibly even the Holy Spirit so that they can pursue such inappropriate interests. Much less effort, energy and focus would be needed to conquer these temptations and passions if they simply turned to the Lord for help, sought the advice from the Holy Spirit and relied upon the strength of Christ. Let us be more efficient with our time, thoughts and effort by seeking God before the flesh.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!”
Revelation 1:17-18
I believe any of us would have responded in similar fashion if the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in front of us. And to have Jesus place His right hand on our shoulder, what an experience that would be! Yes, like John, we would probably tremble in fear at the appearance of Christ. But to hear the words, “Do not be afraid.” would be very comforting. To hear Jesus’ in His own voice and words tell us, “I am the First and the Last.” How much we would want to worship and praise Him. What a testimony to hear Jesus Himself tell us of His witness, “I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” One day each of us as a Christian will kneel before Jesus and confess to Him personally that He is Lord and King of our lives and very likely He will touch our shoulder and say these words personally to us. What an experience that will be.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 21
“Without Christ, not one step; with Him, anywhere!”
David Livingstone
David Livingstone gave his life to serve Christ in the exploration of Africa for the sake of the access of the gospel. Here he tells us that we should not take one step in our lives without knowing that Christ is with us. This means when we go to work, to church, to visit relatives, to share with unbelievers or to minister to those in need. When Christ is in us and with us, He goes before us and we can go anywhere with the confidence that we are in His will. How much more could we as Christians accomplish if we thought more along these lines! Let us practice the power of the presence of God in our lives and relax in His covering and His empowerment.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Mark 10:29-30
This does not mean when we leave our valuables, relatives, possessions or job behind to do the work of the Lord He will bless us with more of the same. Otherwise we would be motivated by profit, power and popularity to serve our Heavenly Father. What this verse means is that the value of what we sacrifice will be compensated back to us in the form of the pleasure of knowing Christ working through us, the rewards of bringing honor to our Heavenly Father and the blessings of a life of obedience and submission to our Lord. You may also notice besides this hundred fold return, we will also receive persecutions because we will have given ourselves to be representatives of Jesus Christ. As they persecuted Him, we too will be persecuted at times because of our commitment to Him. In addition, we will also receive eternal life in the age to come, which is the most valued treasure we could ever hope to receive.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 22
“God’s providence is not blind, but full of eyes.”
John Greenleaf Whittier
Sometimes we think our future and God’s provision for it is blind luck. Sometimes we doubt His providence for our lives, that it can be trusted for our good. But God’s providence is full of eyes, for nothing goes unseen by God. He knows all paths, choices and possibilities and can influence all of them in the direction He sees fit. Yes, He does give us a free will to choose, but He is constantly giving us opportunities to choose well, by offering guidance through His Spirit, encouragement through His Word for direction and placing other wise Christians in our path to share godly wisdom with us. God’s providence is indeed full of eyes.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
Romans 8:14
Here is a fact that build our assurance that we are saved. Do you let the Holy Spirit lead you? Do you pray for God to direct your decisions and actions through the influence of the Spirit? Rather than dragging the Spirit along with you, do you let Him lead you in all you do? Evaluate this test and seek to submit to the guidance of God’s Spirit and you will be assured you are a child of His.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 23
“Faith takes God without any ifs.”
D. L. Moody
True faith in God is to fully trust Him. When we say, “If you will do this God…” or “If you will do that Lord…” we are qualifying our faith in our Heavenly Father and basing it on what we want rather than what He wants. To surrender your life to Jesus Christ, submit to the will of your Heavenly Father and to follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit is true godly faith without any ifs, ands or buts. Let us not qualify our faith in God. Let us simply trust and obey with the heart of a child, then we will have true faith in our Heavenly Father.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9
Doing good is enjoyable, fulfilling and meaningful, but it can also be wearisome at times. This scripture is encouraging us to not become tired in doing good things. Good things include obeying Scripture, ministering to people in need, serving in church ministries, donating your time, talents or treasures to further the gospel and building up of people in Christ. This passage in the Bible verifies that at some time in the future there will be a harvest of blessing for such acts of goodness. Sometimes we experience such blessings during ministry, sometimes afterward and we may have to wait for some blessings to be received when we arrive in heaven. Whatever the case, let us not grow weary of doing good.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 24
“That which is striking and beautiful is not always good; but that which is good is always beautiful.”
Anne de l Enclos
We are told in scripture that Satan can appear as an angle of light. We also know that the outward actions of the Pharisees seemed to be righteous when their hearts were dark with pride and selfishness. So this statement by Anne de I Enclos is scripturally true. Not everything that appears to be beautiful is good all the times. Appearances can be deceptive. But true goodness is always beautiful. You see such beautiful goodness when a Christian is filled with the Spirit of God, when they are loving as Christ would, when they minister with the mind and heart of their Heavenly Father. Let us all seek to be good and we will be perceived as having beautiful lives because they reflect the character of our Lord and King.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32
The forgiveness, mercy and grace we received from God through Jesus Christ should be the foundation upon which we are kind and compassionate towards others. If our Heavenly Father could forgive us for our sins, we should be more than willing to forgive others for their sins against us. This is one of the great purposes for us when we give our lives to the Lord, to seek to forgive others and give them a taste of what divine grace and mercy is all about. When we forgive for wrongs done to us people are drawn to the Lord’s love in us. May we be quick to forgive, anxious to show mercy and always willing to live gracefully in all our relationships.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 25
“Talent develops itself in solitude; character in the stream of life.”
Johann Wolfgang Goethe
Talent is a gift from God that dwells within the solitude of our life, within the person who we are. Our talents are expressed when we seek to display them before others in various activities such as art, writing, athletics and various other avenues of expression. But our character is developed in the stream of life. This stream may run out of control at times. The raging river of life gives us a chance to develop strength and endurance as we strive to survive and endure a perilous storm. There are other times that a calmness will take place in the stream of life and we are able to enjoy the peacefulness life can bring. But even in peacefulness there is character building. How do we spend our time in the peace? Do we thank God for the peace and rest He grants us? So as we develop our talents within ourselves may we seek to respond to the stream of life and build godly character, for that is what God calls us to do, express our talents and build our character.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“No temptationhas overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
We can never say, “No one has ever faced this type of temptation before.” We are not the only one facing our weakness or struggle. Others have faced the exact same difficulty. They had to make a choice to do the right or not and so do we. God will not place us in a position where there is no godly way out. He will always provide a way of rescue, a method by which we can survive, a path we can take to victory in Him. The choice is ours, to look for the way, the method, the path He offers or live by our wits and limited wisdom and fall into the temptation and be consumed by it. We can’t blame anyone else but ourselves for failure to overcome a temptation. Let us always seek God when tempted. He’s only a prayer away.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 26
“A good conscience and a good confidence go together.”
Thomas Brooks
When our consciences are clear our confidence will be strong. Guilt breeds doubt. Doubt breeds second-guessing. Second-guessing breeds indecision and many times failure. Let us have a clear conscience by staying close to the Lord, keeping short accounts with Him regarding any sins we may commit and always seek to treat others with respect and honor. A good conscience comes from living a Christ-like life, dying to self and putting others first. Only by relying totally on the Lord can we have both a good conscience and great godly confidence.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
What an amazing verse! Here divine scripture tells us that we are God’s handiwork, that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works for our Heavenly Father. This was not an afterthought of God, a distracted spontaneous consideration. This was a pre-planned godly design for each of us who accepts Christ as Savior. God has a plan to use us for His glory and honor. He wants us to discover this and go about accomplishing it. While there are many specific ways we can do good works, the most common way is to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, live as a holy sacrifice to the Lord and seek to spread the gospel. To know you are on the earth for a purpose brings both a great meaning to your life, but also a great challenge to fulfill it.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 27
“There is no work better than to please God; to pour water, to wash dishes, to be a cobbler, or an apostle, all are one; to wash dishes and to preach are all one, as touching the deed, to please God.”
William Tyndale
What a god-inspired quotation from a man of God. He speaks the truth that we please God in our work. Whether we are a dishwasher or a brain surgeon, a salesperson or a writer, a janitor or a teacher, a homemaker or a corporate executive, a truck driver or a farmer, whatever we do to make a living at, we can please God in our profession and calling. The reason this is true is that a good Christian will be a tireless hard worker striving to be competent in their task because their witness in their work ethic brings their Heavenly Father honor. The other factor is also the manner in which a Christian will show love, care and concern for others in the workplace or at home. There is more to a job or career than simply working well, there is the constant opportunity to be Christ to the people around you.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8
Have you ever asked the question, “What does God want me to do?” Well in this short verse you have a simple concise answer. God has shown us what is good in His Son Jesus Christ. The goodness of Christ was illustrated in His ministry while on the earth and culminated in His sacrificial death on the cross. God has shown us what is good in His Holy Word. It is full of instruction and wisdom in all matters of life. God continues to show us what is good if we have accepted Christ as our Savior for He gives His Holy Spirit as a counselor to show us what is good. But the verse summarizes all the good things God has shown us in Christ, the Bible and the Holy Spirit. They are to act and behave justly, right and truthfully, to love others by being merciful to them and showing compassion and also to walk humbly before your Heavenly Father as He walks with you through life. May we all seek to live out this verse and commit it to heart and mind.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 28
“Length of life should be measured not by the number of years but by the number of right actions.”
Desiderius Erasmus
Most of us want to live a very long life. This is a normal desire. But we could live to be the oldest human who ever lived and if our lives were devoid of right actions what would the essence of our life be worth? A life revolving around a relationship with Christ would be filled with right actions that bring glory and honor to God. It would be a life that would have numerous expressions of love, compassion, empathy and ministry to those in need. A life full of such godly actions and behavior would be very long even if it were only a few years in length. Think about measuring the length of your life not in how long you are living in years, but in how many right Christ-motivated actions you are doing as you serve your Lord and King Jesus Christ. Change your outlook on a long life from years, to godly Christian behavior.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1
Here the Apostle Paul is instructing the Christians in the Corinthian church to follow his example, because his example was Jesus Christ. Paul was not trying to build “his” church or a following, he was trying to give the Christians a tangible example that they could follow. Paul’s purpose and passion was to build Christ’s church and if they had problems modeling themselves after Christ because they could not physically see Him, then Paul felt that they could begin by modeling themselves after him. This is a bold statement for Paul to make for it holds him accountable to the Lord for his own walk with God. We know from other passages that Paul was a very humble servant and knew he fell short in many areas, but here God gives him the courage to make this statement, to be a role model for other Christians. Within this scripture is also a hidden challenge to us. Are you an example of Christ that others can follow? Are you walking in such a way in your Christian walk that you could make this statement to a friend, a family member or an employee or boss? I ask you to consider taking on Paul’s challenge and apply it to your own life. Be an example of Christ that others can follow.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 29
“At the heart of the story stands the cross of Christ where evil did its worst and met its match.”
John W. Wenham
This is the heart of Christianity, where the evil of sin and Satan were overwhelmed by the love of our Heavenly Father, the willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. The outcome was assured before the conflict even started. There was no doubt that Satan did not have a chance in Hell of winning, pun intended! Christ is the Victor and we benefit from His selfish act of giving Himself for payment for our sins. Let this motivate us to live completely for Him and spread His good news.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
What a very amazing day this will be when Christ returns. It will be quite a sight to see Christ come down from heaven, hear the loud command, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God. How overwhelming it will be to see the dead raised to live before our eyes, then to be lifted up high into the heavens to meet our Lord. The hope we have as Christians will be fulfilled as we live eternally with Him in Heaven.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
June 30
“It is difficult to rebuke well; that is, at a right time, in a right spirit, and in a right manner.”
John Henry Newman
There never seems to be a good time to confront someone with a necessary correction or wrong they have done. We are uncomfortable doing such things because we know how we would feel or we have attempted such actions in the past with poor results. But with prayer it is possible to do the necessary and proper confrontation. May we seek to be wise in the first place to discern if such a rebuke is necessary and if so proceed with the following considerations. If we allow God to direct us for the right time and have not only common sense but compassion we will find the opportunity that will be best for this unpleasant task to be done. If we humble ourselves before God and ask to give us the right attitude and spirit we will do well. If we guard our words and let the Holy Spirit direct them we will say what needs to be said in a loving and correct manner. Prayer and reliance upon the Lord will allow us to leave the results up to Him.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32
The compassion, mercy, grace and forgiveness that God showed towards us in our sin should motivate us to be like our Heavenly Father when dealing with our co-workers, friends, relatives, children and spouses. We are called to treat others as Christ has treated us and manifest the fruits of the Spirit when dealing with others in relationships. This means as Christians we should rely upon the Holy Spirit in us to guide us in being loving, joyful, peaceful, longsuffering, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled in the way we treat those we come in contact with.
Michael K. Farrar, O.D.